Edward
After we returned from Nice, I contacted Paul Bérubé, the private investigator I normally used. Not that I didn’t trust Annette’s judgment, but I had never heard of Reginald Thompson, and I wanted to have as many eyes on this situation as possible. I’d promised Annette we would find Victor Thibeau, and I planned on keeping that promise. Normally, I would have insisted on using Paul from the beginning, but Annette had hired Reginald before she’d lost her memory. I didn’t want to hold up the trip to Nice just to make sure the information checked out because that might have given her a reason to distrust me.
Although we didn’t find what we were looking for, the trip was still worth it. We had some tough discussions, and we’d grown closer as a result. It bothered me that she saw Leo at the beach though. I couldn’t stand that guy, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he still tried to worm his way into our lives. The hair on the back of my arms stood up as I thought about what Leo told Annette. I will never let you go.
He had better get used to the idea really quick because I was ready to fight tooth and nail for my wife. If I had my way, I would force him to move out of Calais, but I knew I couldn’t allow my personal feelings to dictate decisions like that unless I had evidence he was involved in a crime. It wouldn’t be appropriate for anyone in the royal family to abuse their power.
I checked in on Annette and found her reading her journal. Satisfied she was content, I headed to my mother’s room to have a heart-to-heart discussion.
My mother was reading a book in the sitting room next to her bedroom when I entered. She extended her hand to me with a small smile. “Edward, it’s good to see you. How was your trip to Nice?”
“It was fine.” I took her hand and held it for a few moments. “We didn’t find Victor Thibeau, but we’ll keep looking.”
“It’s too bad Annette feels the need to dredge up old news. All of that was put to rest long ago. It’s unsavory—”
“You understand how hard this has been for her, don’t you?”
“Well, of course, but—”
“She needs this information in order to get better.”
Mother’s eyes softened as she regarded me. “I’m surprised you want her memory to return. It seems your relationship has improved since she lost it.” She chuckled and put her book face down on the couch next to a note card with a dragon emblem on the front. “For your sake, I hope she never remembers the part Leo played in her past.”
My lips tightened as I sat next to her, glancing at the note card. Something about it was familiar. “Whether her memory returns or not, we’ll work through it. As far as Leo, Annette thought she saw him in Nice while we were at the beach. The security team searched but didn’t locate him.”
“Well, that’s…distressing.”
“Yes, it is. I’ve already asked Roberto to check if he took a plane out of Calais. We’ll find out for sure.”
“Good. Is something else on your mind?”
“You know me so well.”
She laughed. “You are my son after all.”
I hesitated, knowing she wasn’t going to like what I was about to say, but she would still want to know. “Annette found a note in her room not long after she returned from the hospital. It said I didn’t love her and wanted to move on with my life.”
She gasped and placed a hand over her heart. “Why didn’t she tell us sooner? We could have done a thorough investigation.”
“She was afraid and didn’t know who she could trust. Unfortunately, she didn’t keep the note, so we can’t have someone look at the handwriting.”
Mother sat up straighter and took her reading glasses off. “I don’t like this at all. Do you think her personal assistant had anything to do with it?”
“Lydia? She seems very loyal, but I suppose we shouldn’t exclude anyone as a possibility since we don’t know how it happened, especially after you hear what I’m about to tell you.”
Mother sat up straighter. “Tell me what?”
“Annette received a second note at the ball that was quite threatening, and she slipped it into the pocket of her gown. When she wasn’t feeling well and collapsed, I rang for Lydia, and she helped Annette change into a nightgown. She laid the dress on the table in the walk-in closet, and when Annette asked her about the note later, Lydia said there was no note.” Annette had relayed those details to me on our trip back home.
“I hate to think that she or one of the staff is involved, but that doesn’t sound good.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“As far as the first note, Leo came to visit with Georgina not long after Annette returned home from the hospital, but it was well after she found the note. At this point, it could be anyone.”
“I’ll tell Henry to keep a close watch on the staff and report any suspicious behavior.”
“Thank you, I appreciate that.” My eyes wandered to the dragon note card again, and I suddenly remembered Annette holding a very similar card and saying it was from Beatriz. “Mother…do you correspond with Beatriz? I didn’t realize you two were still friends.”
“Just because you stopped dating her doesn’t mean I can’t remain in contact with her. I always liked her. She is a very intelligent woman.”
“You’re not hoping that…”
Her eyebrows flew up. “What?”
“Never mind.”
“What were you going to say?”
“Well, you were never a big fan of Annette.”
“You don’t think that I would…” She let out an astonished breath. “Edward, as much as I didn’t approve of Annette in the beginning, I hope you trust I would never try to come between you. I hold the sanctity of marriage in high regard.”
I shook my head to clear it. “Sorry. I just saw the note card, and it surprised me you still keep in touch.”
“If you must know, I was hoping to set her up with Lord Hamilton.”
I nodded. “Of course. Forgive me for asking. It’s none of my business.”
She took my hand and held it firmly. “Despite what you think, I never disliked Annette. Not really. I thought you could do better, but she has always had a strong air about her that I admire. I like this new side to her even more though. She has a humility that is a lot more becoming to someone in her position.”
I narrowed my eyes at the “you can do better” comment. “No one is better for me than Annette, and I loved the old her as much as I love the new. I just want us to get back on track.”
“You will. She never looked at Leo the way she looked at you. I’m a mother. I see these things.”
That brought a smile to my face and a measure of relief. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”
After the conversation with my mother, Roberto checked in with me. “I confirmed that Leo left Calais and headed for Nice on the same day we were there. There’s a very good chance Annette did actually see him.”
“Thank you, Roberto.”
I didn’t like that at all. Why would he be there? Was it a coincidence? That seemed unlikely, but then how did he know we were in Nice?
Determining to push that out of my head for now, I headed to Annette’s room to see how she was faring. When I arrived, she was still immersed in her journal, but she glanced up and smiled when she saw me.
“Apparently, I was really into parties,” she said, holding up the journal. “I spoke in detail about each one we attended.”
“It was a favorite pastime of yours, actually.”
“That’s what I hear, but…” She ran a hand through her hair and stared behind me as if thinking. “Besides getting sick and that whole business with Leo, I genuinely enjoyed the ball, but I don’t feel overly enthused about going to another party anytime soon. I’m not sure why, but I just sense there’s more to life. Do you know what I mean?”
I took her hand and kissed it lightly. “I do. You want more substance, and I want that too—for both of us.” I studied her for a moment and then perked. “Hey, would you like to go down to Westbridge and h
ave lunch? It’ll be nice to get out for a bit so I can show you some of the spots the tourists rave about.”
Westbridge was the village closest to the castle grounds. The homes and the local stores had elements similar to the old-world style cottages of Bibury in Gloucestershire, England, and the charm of Kaysersberg Commune in Northeastern France.
“I would love that.” She stood up, smiling. “What should I wear?”
“Something casual.”
I laughed at the deer-in-the-headlights look she gave me because it was so unlike her when it came to fashion. “What is that expression for?”
“Edward, have you seen my closet lately? There are too many choices. I have no idea what to wear.”
“Lydia will help you find an outfit.”
“I know, but I was kind of hoping you’d help me.”
Her eyes were so optimistic as she looked up at me that I couldn’t resist, not when she stared at me as if my judgment was the only one that mattered. She’d never asked for my help in this area before, and it gave me a sense of pride to know she cared what I thought. “Sure. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
We headed to her walk-in closet, and I was reminded of how many clothes she actually had. “I haven’t been back here lately. You weren’t kidding. There’s a lot to choose from.”
She giggled. “See my dilemma?”
I found a section with casual clothing and ran my hand through the different choices, finally settling on a simple pair of black cotton pants. I paired it with a long-sleeved blue shirt and matching jacket that fit on top. “What do you think?”
“It’s perfect.”
After we both dressed, we headed into Westbridge with Roberto and two others trailing behind. The locals were used to seeing members of the royal family in the village from time to time, so it wasn’t anything newsworthy. I appreciated that many were actually protective and cared about respecting the privacy of our personal lives. That wasn’t a common thing in other countries, so I knew how good I had it and was truly thankful.
We stopped at a bridge that had a view of the rolling green hills in the distance with a line of cottages in front. “I used to come here a lot when I was a kid, and I would imagine that I lived in one of those houses—that I was free of the responsibilities that went along with being a prince.”
Annette watched me intently, her eyes lingering on my face. “Did it make you sad that you weren’t as free as the birds in the sky? That you couldn’t do whatever you wished?”
There was so much wistfulness in her voice that I turned to look at her. “Yes, sometimes it did make me sad.” I glanced back at the picturesque scene before us. “But I won’t complain. With great privilege, there is great responsibility, and I take that to heart.”
She took my hand and laced her fingers through mine in a show of support. “Right now, I feel so much pride knowing I’m your wife. Not because that makes me part of the royal family or because I get to live in a castle and enjoy the notoriety that goes along with it, but because you are a man with heart, and I admire that.”
I pulled her into my arms and kissed the top of her head, feeling my eyes moisten. “It means a lot to hear you say that.”
We stayed a few minutes longer, and then I took her to a local chocolatier where the owner allowed shoppers to watch his staff go through the process of making chocolate. A glass wall separated the kitchen from the rest of the store so anyone could peer in and see the workers steadily creating new sweets. There were dozens and dozens of different flavors, and we tried most of the samples that were available. I purchased one of everything and asked that the package be delivered to the castle so Annette and I could enjoy them later.
We left the store and walked hand-in-hand down the cobblestone streets, the locals passing us with smiles and a slight tip of the head, until we came to a fountain, resplendent in its beauty, the water cascading down into a small pool below.
I put my arm around Annette’s shoulders as we took it in. “An Italian sculptor named Gabriele di Rossi created this in the 1700s. It’s called ‘Amanti che si abbracciano.’ It means ‘Lovers embracing’ in Italian.”
“That’s beautiful.”
“Indeed. Gabriele had never heard of Calais before, but a friend invited him to stay in one of those cottages we were looking at earlier—or at least, an older version. When he saw the rugged hills and the green countryside, he was so enamored that he decided to take up residence here. The king commissioned him to create this, and it has been a popular place for locals to visit ever since.”
“It is truly lovely,” Annette said. “I’ve seen it before, I assume?”
“Yes, many times. We used to come here,” I licked my lips and grinned, “when we were teenagers to make a wish.”
“What kind of wish?”
I pointed to the marble statues of a man and woman kissing, their ancient-looking robes, falling to their feet, the woman’s hair piled up on top of her head, exposing a slender neck. “It is believed that if you kiss the one you love in front of this fountain, you will always be together, no matter what life brings your way.”
“Did we kiss here?”
“Yes. Many times.” I laughed. “You made me promise I would never kiss anyone else in front of this fountain, and I’ve always kept that promise.”
She frowned. “Did I…” She let out a breath and pressed her lips into a thin line. “Did I keep that promise as well?”
“Yes, as far as I know.”
“Do you have any doubts?”
I stared at her for a long moment, trying to decide what I thought. I’d had some insecurities, but that was no reason to doubt her this time. Despite how things looked, she never broke her word in the past. “I believe you kept your promise.”
She smiled then and leaned into me, pressing her hands against my chest. “Maybe we should have a recommitment of sorts. You know…because I don’t remember the other times.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, but there are people walking about and if the queen gets word of our little exhibition, we will certainly receive a firm scolding. Are you sure you can handle that?”
She tipped her head back as if already positioning herself for my kiss, a smile breaking out on her face, lighting up her countenance like a torch against the night sky. “Yes, and it will be well worth it.”
I put my hands at her waist and pulled her in so quickly she gasped. Our gazes locked, and after a few seconds passed, I brushed my lips against hers with force and urgency, feeling the cool mist from the fountain settling on my skin, wanting this moment to last forever but knowing I should stop soon because we were probably causing a scene. That didn’t stop me though because I continued to move my lips over hers until she finally drew back, breathless and laughing.
“That…was amazing,” she said. “And I think we have an audience.”
I dragged my gaze away from her and glanced around, just barely catching a few smiles from those in the vicinity. I noticed a camera flash, but everyone averted their eyes once they saw us looking.
Roberto walked over to a woman, and they spoke for a few minutes. When he returned, he shrugged. “She’s harmless. She texted the picture to me and promises not to send it to the media.”
I was slightly nervous but mostly just thankful once again for the discretion the villagers had when it came to me and my family. Even if she didn’t keep her promise, a kiss between me and my wife was hardly something to worry about. As we walked away, Roberto grinned, but he was smart not to make a comment.
“Ready to eat?” I asked, turning to Annette.
“Yes. I can’t wait to sample some local fare.”
I brought her to a small restaurant owned by a friendly man named Noe Dubois. He greeted us as we entered, and he was quick to find us a private corner near a window that looked out towards the rolling hills.
“It’s so good to see you,” he said with a slight bow. “I am honored to have you in my humble restaurant.”
“Y
ou have the best food in the village,” I said with a grin.
“Thank you, Sir. Should I bring out the regular?”
“Yes, please.”
“Very good.” He paused and glanced at Annette. “You are looking very well, Ma’am. It is nice to see you out and about.”
“Thank you. I feel wonderful.”
He smiled and hurried away to give our order to the chef.
“What is our regular?” Annette asked.
“You’ll see.”
She jerked back, a surprised laugh escaping from her lips. “Oh, so you’re not going to tell me?”
“No. I want to see your reaction as if it were the first time.”
“You’re enjoying my memory loss, aren’t you?” She said it playfully, not appearing bothered or upset in the least.
I cupped one side of her face. “Maybe a little.”
When the food was ready, Noe brought endive and ham gratin to the table, along with beef stew and crusty French bread. I watched as Annette took a bite of the stew and then the ham, her eyes widening as she chewed and swallowed.
“This is so good.” She took another bite of the ham and closed her eyes. “You shouldn’t have taken me here because now I’ll want to come every day. You might as well just buy me a cot so I can camp out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
I let out a hearty laugh and leaned back in my chair, folding my arms across my chest. “You always did like eating here, but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you express so much…enthusiasm.”
She cocked her head to the side and studied me. “It’s good to hear you laugh like that. I have a feeling you haven’t done that in a while.”
She was right. It had been too long. “What can I say? I’m enjoying myself with you.”
Noe brought out a platter of tarte framboise, a crusty pie shell with a vanilla custard filling and raspberries on top. There was one for each of us, and Annette and I both ate until completely satisfied, neither of us able to take another bite.
“That was so delightful,” Annette said licking her fingers. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she quickly glanced around the room, realizing what she’d just done, but no one was watching us. “I can’t believe I licked my fingers. How inappropriate of me.” She winked and took a sip of water.
The Prince's Bewildered Bride (The Blushing Brides Book 5) Page 13
